2 alloy tubes under the oil filler plug?!

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Melchior
Posts: 149
Joined: Thu May 03, 2018 11:44 am

2 alloy tubes under the oil filler plug?!

Post by Melchior »

Hello,

Yesterday I was with some experts for classic Ferraris and they said that they never saw 2 alloy tubes going down from the oil filler plug but just one thicker alloy tube and a thinner hose. I am very sure that these thinner alloy tubes my series II 250 GTE has are original. Both, the thicker and the thinner tube are produced the same style and material, it simply does not make sense that someone later on crafted these and added them to the car.

Unfortunately I do not have better pictures at the moment as the car is dissembled and the engine is at the workshop. However, does anyone of you have these 2 alloy tubes going down from the filler plug on both sides of the engine? If so, can you send a picture what they look like in your car, especially at the lower end that shows to the ground.

Thank you very much and best regards,

Martin
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250 GTE #3631 (series Ii)
John Vardanian
Posts: 1906
Joined: Wed Sep 04, 2002 12:13 am
Location: San Francisco Area

Re: 2 alloy tubes under the oil filler plug?!

Post by John Vardanian »

Martin, someone has added a pair of later 250GT diverters to your original breathers. It just funnels the fumes to the ground as opposed to allowing them to waft under the bonnet. My PF coupe had the same setup, which I removed.

john
PF Coupe
Melchior
Posts: 149
Joined: Thu May 03, 2018 11:44 am

Re: 2 alloy tubes under the oil filler plug?!

Post by Melchior »

Hello John,

thank you for this information. Why did you remove these tubes? And to all others: is it possible that some GTE‘s have been equipped like this or is it definitely a later post delivery conversion of one of the pre-owners? The filler cap does have the two connecting branches at the bottom, if the factory did not fit these thinner tubes, what did they do with the second connecting branch? Was there a tube, was it plugged somehow or even left open?

Best regards,

Martin
250 GTE #3631 (series Ii)
John Vardanian
Posts: 1906
Joined: Wed Sep 04, 2002 12:13 am
Location: San Francisco Area

Re: 2 alloy tubes under the oil filler plug?!

Post by John Vardanian »

Martin, I removed them because I preferred the original arrangement. If the engine is worn and has more blow-by, it's not a bad idea to divert the fumes out of the engine bay.

john
PF Coupe
DWR46
Posts: 621
Joined: Tue Sep 22, 2009 8:23 pm

Re: 2 alloy tubes under the oil filler plug?!

Post by DWR46 »

John: Ferrari adopted this system on the 275 engines, using a plastic tube (instead of the steel pipes) that ended with a taper at the level of the bottom of the oil sump. This created a "road draft" system that used the air flow under the car to produce a vacuum in the tube to draw fumes out of the engine. Pretty common in the 1940s-1960s. It does actually work pretty well.
John Vardanian
Posts: 1906
Joined: Wed Sep 04, 2002 12:13 am
Location: San Francisco Area

Re: 2 alloy tubes under the oil filler plug?!

Post by John Vardanian »

Thanks Dyke. My Type 168 has these. I have a questions... are the plastic tubes supposed to be anchored down by straps at the end? If yes, where do the straps attach? Mine are just dangling and I wondered if this was right. Thanks.

john
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PF Coupe
DWR46
Posts: 621
Joined: Tue Sep 22, 2009 8:23 pm

Re: 2 alloy tubes under the oil filler plug?!

Post by DWR46 »

John: I will try to get photos for you tomorrow.
John Vardanian
Posts: 1906
Joined: Wed Sep 04, 2002 12:13 am
Location: San Francisco Area

Re: 2 alloy tubes under the oil filler plug?!

Post by John Vardanian »

Dyke, I was hoping others might oblige me. You don't need to get down and dirt for this. Don't worry about it. Thanks anyway.

john
PF Coupe
DWR46
Posts: 621
Joined: Tue Sep 22, 2009 8:23 pm

Re: 2 alloy tubes under the oil filler plug?!

Post by DWR46 »

John: Here are photos of both sides, taken from above. A 10mm (6mm threads) nut is welded to the chassis and the hose is attached using an aluminum strap. You can see the general area on the frame which is directly below the oil fill caps.
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Breather Hose (1).JPG
Breather Hose (3).JPG
John Vardanian
Posts: 1906
Joined: Wed Sep 04, 2002 12:13 am
Location: San Francisco Area

Re: 2 alloy tubes under the oil filler plug?!

Post by John Vardanian »

Thank you for this, Dyke. It makes sense that these should be pinned down at the ends. Thanks again for the pictures.

john
PF Coupe
OscarF
Posts: 2
Joined: Wed Jul 28, 2021 11:22 am

Re: 2 alloy tubes under the oil filler plug?!

Post by OscarF »

oil tube.jpg
Sorry for the late response. My GTE Series II #3779 has the double tube set-up. The car has been in my family since 1969, so the 1st owner may have changed out, but it looks like original equipment to me. The "blow by" tube just ends below the oil pan. It is connected by screw to the bottom of the pan. It is connected to the oil filler body by a small plastic hose secured with worm drive clamps.
250 GTE #3779
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